


Uncle No-No

by NyxieNoc



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Adoption, Family, Gen, Imaginary Friends, Other, Post-Canon, Psychic Abilities, Pynch Week, Pynch Week 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-16 00:15:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15424773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NyxieNoc/pseuds/NyxieNoc
Summary: Adam and Ronan's three year old son Cian (Key-en) has a bothersome imaginary friend.This fic makes more sense if you have read my other fics, particularly "Just One Of Billions of Stars" but the cliff notes is that Adam and Ronan live in California and have Opal and an adopted son.





	Uncle No-No

Adam shuffled to the refrigerator in the late morning. The whole house had gotten out of bed before him because Sunday was “Papa sleep-in day” (Saturday was “Daddy sleep-in day, of course, to be equal and all that.) and Adam was rummaging around for breakfast. He reached into the spot where the orange juice was kept and grumbled that his hand came up empty. He knew he’d bought some just the other day and there should still be some left especially because Cian wasn't allowed juice, and Opal didn't like it, preferring whole lemons for her scurvy prevention methods. Which meant Ronan had drank a half gallon in 36 hours and not saved him any. In the grand scheme of things, it was so, so trivial but it still made Adam grumpy.

The grumpiness didn't last long, especially when he found a warm covered plate of sausage and eggs and biscuits in the oven, and a carafe full of coffee that had been lovingly prepared for him by the man who took their kids out to play so he could sleep late and be lazy. He sat down to eat and read his paperback novel. He’d only had a few bites when toddler feet padded rapidly in through the back door. Cian ran past shouting “Hi Papa!” and went into the depths of the house. Moments later he ran back out, shouting “Bye Papa!” This wasn't the oddest thing to happen, but it was unusual for Cian to see food and not ask for any. He was three now, and always very very busy, but never too busy to poach a sausage or a biscuit from anyone who was or was not offering. It made Adam smile to think about how much Cian was like Ronan.

Adam finished, washed up, and headed for the shower where he took his damn time and moved slowly through dressing and brushing teeth, prolonging his morning of leisure, because as soon as he joined the family he was no longer having a morning to himself. But eventually, missing his three people took front seat to wanting alone time and he headed into the yard.

Ronan was filling a tiny plastic pool and Cian was already stripping naked, they couldnt keep clothes on that kid with anything short of a staple gun. Opal threw an acorn with remarkable precision from the biggest branch of her favorite oak, and it hit Adam right in the chest with the thunk.

“Papa, Im going scuba diving!” Cian squealed and held his arms up to be picked up. Adam picked him up and propped him on a hip, discovering that Cian was already wet. He must have run in the hose before the pool could be filled.

“Is that so?” Adam asked as he sidled up to Ronan who turned his head to kiss Adam briefly, his attention back on the pool.

“Yeah, he thinks laying on his back in the pool with a silly straw in his mouth is snorkeling. I don't know where he got that idea. Do we have any books or movies about snorkeling?” Ronan asked.

Adam thought for a long minute. “I don't think so, maybe he learned about it in swim class?”

“Uncle No-No told me about it. He said you and Daddy snorkeled when you went to the Bahamas,” Cian said, wriggling free of Adam’s grasp and picking up his crazy straw from where he’s laid it on a stump. It must have been what he had run into the house for earlier.

“You mean Uncle Gansey?”

“No, Uncle No-No”

“Uncle Henry?” 

“No, Papa, Uncle No-No.” Cian insisted. He squatted in the pool and Ronan turned off the nozzle. Adam exchanged a look with Ronan and he shrugged as if to say ‘who the hell even knows what kids are talking about, like, ever?’

“Wait, was it Uncle Matty? Uncle Dec?” Adam asked, intrigued and confused. They hadn't told Cian about their entire honeymoon in great detail, certainly not using words like “snorkel” and “Bahamas”...He turned his face up to Opal in the branches, “Do you know what he’s talking about?” She shrugged. It wasn't a no, but it wasn't a yes either. Opal did this a lot, and it drove Adam mad. He sighed. “Cian, baby, who is Uncle No No?”

“He’s my friend,” Cian said without looking up from his diligent stirring of the wading pool with a stick.

“Uhuh, where did you meet him?” Adam said, squatting down next to the pool to read Cian’s expressions.

“He comes here, he likes it here,” Cian said, still absorbed in splashing and stirring.

“Okay, then what does he look like?” 

Cian shrugged, then, “He looks like Carl.”

Adam looked up at Ronan whose eyebrows furrowed and he mouthed “Carl???” at Adam, who shrugged back, nonplussed. “Wait,” Adam started, “Carl the Fog?”

“Yeah Papa,” Cian said as if Adam was the biggest idiot in the world. “Can I play now?”

“Yeah, baby, sure, have fun, don't put dirt in the pool and don't let the goats in it,” Adam said, standing. He and Ronan closed the space between themselves and arms looped around backs and waists. They strolled together to the tree swings and sat together on the big plank for two.

“No idea what he’s talking about, do you?” Adam asked.

“Not even a little. But he is a kid and they still think dinosaurs are real so who even knows. Maybe it's a book or a TV show, or maybe Opal is fucking with us and feeding him lines, “ Ronan said, leaning his head to rest on Adam’s shoulder.”How was your breakfast?”

“Wonderful, as always. You're so good to me,” Adam sighed before planting several kisses in the fuzz on Ronan’s scalp. “Hey did you drink all the orange juice I just bought?”

“What, no, I just opened it and had one glass yesterday. Opal, did you drink all the O.J.?”

“Gross, no,” she scoffed.

“Maybe one of the farmhands?” Adam asked.

“I don't think so but it's possible I guess.”

“Ok, well, I'm going to go prune my roses,” Adam said, stretching and heading for the tool shed for gloves and pruning shears. Adam had the greenest of green thumbs, it was something he never thought he’d find himself doing. He cultivated and babied rare rose breeds from all over the world. Striped roses, black roses, his favorite gigantic yellow roses, miniature roses, blood red roses, soft lavender roses, and everything else. He carefully pruned and trained them into trellises and arbors, harvested their hips, and spoke to them softly. He was on the other side of the house working intently when he noticed Cian’s bedroom window wide open, the screen pushed out, and on the ground below next to the screen lay an empty carton of orange juice.

“RONAN!” Adam shouted, “Can I see you for a moment please?” Adam was not angry, just confused and concerned. Ronan showed up moments later, puzzled. Adam simply pointed to the plastic jug.

“What in the name of Jesus’s ball sack...?” Ronan said, crawling under low branches to fish out the jug and the screen.

“I left his window half open last night, but the screen was still in, Ronan,” Adam was beginning to sound a bit freaked out. Ronan took him by the wrist to go find Cian.

“Baby, Daddy and Papa aren't mad, but what happened to the orange juice and your window?”

“Uncle No-No did it. I told him not to. He thought it was funny, but I said he would get in trouble, and he did it anyway,” Cian looked down glumly as he watched oak leaves float on the surface of the pool.

“Cian,” Adam said, again squatting down to his eye level, “Telling stories is fun but we really need to know what happened to the orange juice.”

“I told you Papa! It was Uncle No-no!”

“And what did Uncle No-No do, exactly, Cian?” Ronan said, his voice as stern as he’d ever allowed it to be in front of Cian, which was to say, only mildly stern. Adam had heard him chide a jar of salsa with more authority.

“He poured the orange juice out the window, Daddy.”

Adam stood, at a complete loss for words. He went inside to toss the jug into the recycle and returned to his roses without another word. He continued to prune as his mind spun, trying to figure out what Cian could be talking about. As a child and family therapist he was supposed to know these things. He twisted and turned the situation, looking at it from every angle. In a sudden flash he knew what it must be. He all but ran back to the backyard.

“Cian, baby, where are you?” Adam called.

“They've gone inside for lunch,” Opal called down from her tree. “Can you get me a sandwich? Peanut butter and watercress if we have it?”

“Sure, Opal,” Adam said as he hurried inside.

 

In the kitchen Cian sat at his chair devouring a messy peach as Ronan busied himself at the counter making sandwiches. Peanut butter and potato chip for himself, peanut butter and pickle for Cian, peanut butter and watercress for Opal. Adam wondered whatever happened to plain old grape jelly, but he was too excited about testing his theory with Cian.

“Cian, is Uncle No-No a real person or pretend?” Adam asked.

“He is a pretend real person, Papa,” Cian said as if were obvious. Adam was frustrated by this answer but he stuffed it down and smiled at his boy.

“So is he invisible?” Adam asked hopefully.

“I can see him, but only me,” Cian nodded and handed his peach pit to Adam.

“What does he look like? You said like Carl the Fog, is there anything else?”

“Most of the time he is the fog but sometimes he has bones,” Cian said and Ronan stopped by to plop his sandwich on his plate, pausing to listen to the interrogation. “Thank you Daddy.”

“Ok, and does he talk to you?” Adam asked, and Cian nodded. “Is he nice?”

“Yes Papa he is nice and funny,” Cian giggled.

“Okay. Well if he tells you any more silly ideas like dumping out the orange juice, you tell him Daddy and Papa don't like that, ok?”

“Okay Papa,” Cian said around a mouthful of sandwich as Adam stood and ruffled his hair.

 

He went to where Ronan was leaned against the butcher block kitchen island eating his gross sandwich and whispered low, “I don't know why I didn't figure this out right away but No-No must be Cian’s imaginary friend. It makes sense, he is a lefty, he doesnt have siblings his age, and we know he has a vivid imagination. Nothing to worry about. Kids do this all the time,” he said, giving Ronan a peck on the cheek. 

“I suppose that's the most reasonable explanation. Probably more likely than a fog monster stealing our orange juice,” Ronan spoke low so Cian wouldn't hear.

“Im taking Opal her sandwich,” Adam said, grabbing the paper plate and heading back out.

“You want one?” Ronan called.

“Fu-He-Gosh, No. Thanks.” Adam laughed.

****************************************************************

 

Days went by with no mention of Uncle No-No, though they often heard Cian talking to himself over the baby monitor or from another room. No other items were destroyed or missing thus far, and as long as it remained that way, Ronan and Adam were happy to play along when Cian talked about Uncle No-No at the dinner table or in the bathtub or before bed at night. 

“Papa, Uncle No-No rides a skateboard, can I have a skateboard?”

“Daddy, Uncle No-No wants to know when Gansey and Auntie Blue are coming to visit.”

“Daddy, what does Semper ubi sub ubi mean?” Cian asked in the tub one night. Ronan who was intent on detangling a fairy knot at the back of Cian’s neck with baby detangler absentmindedly answered without a second thought, “always wear underwear. It’s good advice kiddo, you should try it sometime,” and he went back to the fairy knot.

“Who told you that, Cian? Was it Opal?” Adam asked from where he was trimming his fingernails over the sink.

“No, Papa, Uncle No-No told me that,” Cian giggled, and Adam froze.

“Uncle No-No speaks Latin?” Adam asked.

“What's Latin?” Cian asked.

Sometimes Opal and Daddy and I speak Latin when we want to tell secrets to each other,” Adam said, sugar coating their rude habit of trash talking in Latin around other people.

“I guess. He has a lot of funny words,” Cian shrugged.

“Okay baby tilt your head back and close your eyes,” Ronan said, readying to pour a pitcher of bathwater over Cian’s hair.

Later, Cian asleep and Adam and Ronan undressing for bed, Adam stopped with one sock in his hand.”Ronan are you sure you didn't teach him that, or that Opal didn't?” 

“What?”

“Semper ubi sub ubi,”

“I'm not certain I didnt, I just don't remember ever having done it,” Ronan answered, wadding his shirt to toss it in the hamper.

“I'm certain I didn't, I've been speaking Spanish to him for the most part, I hardly ever use Latin unless its with Opal,” Adam said, simply speaking his thoughts aloud. “Maybe Matthew or Declan taught him that. That's probably it.”

“Yeah, probably.”

*****************************************************

A few weeks later, Gansey, Blue, and their children, Noah and Siani, (Blue had gotten to pick their first child’s name, and obviously Gansey picked their baby daughter’s name, because of course Gansey.) Cian was so excited to play with Noah who was only a year and a half older than he but in Cian’s eyes the biggest big boy ever to grace him with his presence. Adam was extremely grateful that Noah had grown to be as benevolent as his father was, indulging Cian and allowing him to follow him around all day long. Adam was also glad Noah took after Blue and had firm boundaries when he’d had enough of the rough and tumble play Cian often non-consensually gave him. 

They caught up and let the boys play in the yard while Ronan made faces and cooed at Siani whenever she wasn't being nursed. Adam loved watching Ronan with babies but wondered when the “let's have another” conversation was coming. Blue was happy to toss her children around to anyone with willing arms, and was a much more relaxed mother the second time around. Adam was proud of the both of them, they were excellent parents and it suited them so well.

Cian ran up to the back porch where they were sitting and catching up, little Noah hot on his heels. Breathless, he threw himself into Adam’s lap.

“What's going on baby?” Adam said, hauling him up onto his lap. Noah had a fragile smile and he found his own father and climbed onto him.

“Uncle No-No was chasing us and we got scared,” Cian said.

“I thought Uncle No-No was your friend. What happened?”

“We were by the fish pond,” Cian started.

“Cian! You know you're not supposed to go to the fish pond without Papa or Daddy!” Ronan said in his “serious dad is serious” voice.

“I know, Daddy, I wanted to show Noah the fishies,” Cian said, his lower lip trembling a bit. Adam felt his little heart racing under his Batman tee. “Uncle No-No was there and he told us to go away and when we didn't, he chased us and he was being scary Papa and I didnt like it!”

“Noah, is that what happened?” Gansey asked his son. Noah nodded and Adam saw a big tear slide down his chubby cheek.

“Who is Uncle No-No?” Blue sat up and squared her shoulders. “Did you two hire some sketchy farmhand? Look what he did to my kid!” Blue was going full mama bear in microseconds. Ronan handed Siani back to her and it made her settle down a few levels, but not all of them.

“Uncle No-No is Cian’s imaginary friend,” Ronan explained. “Usually he does naughty things and sometimes he tells Cian Latin jokes, and sometimes he looks like fog and other times he has bones. He asks about you and he taught Cian how to snorkel with a crazy straw. It's just regular kid stuff, Blue, relax.”

“Noah, honey, did you see Uncle No-No? Did you hear him?” Blue asked her son. Noah nodded.

“Mama he was telling us not to see the fishes and was being scary!” Noah lost his composure and turned to cry into Gansey’s neck.

“Ronan, a word, please,” Blue demanded, and led Ronan over to the double tree swing where they lowered their heads together and spoke in hushed tones. Ronan looked exasperated at first, but as Blue continued to speak, wildly gesturing with one arm, baby in the other, her face animated, Ronan’s expression slid into solemn realization. Adam tensed when he saw the shift, though he couldn't hear the words spoken. The two of them finally nodded at eachother and walked back to the group. Blue walked into the house alone and Ronan sat beside Adam and Cian.

“What is it?” Adam whispered. Cian was drowsy on his chest, fiddling with Adam’s shoulder-length waves as he often did when he was sleepy. Before Ronan could answer Blue was back out on the porch where she took Ronan’s former seat and whipped her phone out. She rapidly dialed a number from memory and put the phone on speaker. It rang.

“Fox Way Psychic Hotline, Orla speaking...are you in need of a psychic advisor?”

“Orla it's me. Get Calla on the phone please,” Blue huffed.

“No need to be snippy,” Orla said haughtily before setting the phone down.

“Blue, dear, would you mind telling-” Gansey began but Blue held a finger out as Calla rasped familiarly.

“It's about time, Chickadee.”

“Calla, I need a favor,” Blue began.

“Of course you do,” Calla said, wry as always. “Hello boys, Opal.” The men looked amongst each other, they had not indicated to Calla that they were present, Blue hasn't even said where she was calling from. What's more, Opal was off on her own...No, Opal had silently rounded the corner and stood next to Blue.

“Hi Calla!” she said before trotting off again.

“Hello Calla,” Gansey, Ronan, and Adam said in unison.

“Calla, in my room, in a shoebox in the closet there’s a-” 

“Mustang key fob, I know...” Calla muttered. Blue, raised by psychics was not easily shocked but this did set her back on her chair a bit.

“Can you take the phone with you and go, you know, touch it?” Blue asked.

“What mustang key fob, Blue?” Ronan asked incredulously. Blue held up a finger and gave him the stink eye.

“He told me to take it the day we found his car, before we knew it was his car. I set it in the box and forgot about it. It was before we knew, and then everything happened, and I just forgot, ok. I found it again when I moved out, but I...I thought it should stay at Fox Way.” 

Ronan looked hurt and was about to retort when Calla popped on again.

“Okay Chickadee, I opened the box. I'm going to touch it now.”

They waited, all of them holding their breath, except the children of course. Oddly, Noah, Siani, and Cian had all dozed off without anyone really noticing. They heard Calla exhale deeply.

“What do you want to know?” She finally asked. It was Ronan who spoke first.

“Cian’s imaginary friend-”

“Yes,” Calla sighed. “Not so imaginary.”

“What does that mean? Is he not at rest? Is he suffering?” Ronan’s voice cracked.

“It's not the same as before. He had unfinished business then. He needed your help. He was released and freed from repeating his death. He was suffering then. He is not now.” Calla paused and they all slumped a little in relief. She went on, “It's different. Far less corporeal, and he comes and goes as he pleases. He is more of a memory than a spirit now, it's hard to describe. He is like an imaginary friend-slash-guardian. You’ll probably never see him or hear him, or feel him, he’s just not that substantial. But children are different. And, well...Cian is different.”

“What do you mean Cian is different?” Now it was Adam who was winding up.

“It's hard to say, I haven't seen him for three years. I’d need to touch him, but Maura, Gwen and I all think that Cian might have a gift. We don't even know what it is yet, but we’re leaning towards...medium.”

Ronan was on his feet in a flash, his hands at the back of his head.

“Calla, when were you going to tell us?” Ronan barked, then remembered the sleeping babies. “Didn't you think we might need to know that?” He hissed towards the phone in Blue’s hand.

“I was waiting for this phone call. I couldn't be sure until I heard from you. And now I have, and now I am, and now Im telling you.” Calla said, as patient as she had ever been with Ronan. “But, yes, we believe Cian may be a medium and that's why he can talk to Noah.”

“But our Noah saw him, heard him too!” Blue said, her voice wavering just a bit.

“Yes chickadee. I know it's been a long time but did you forget that you are an amplifier? Had you considered that your progeny might also be amplifiers?” Calla stopped talking and Adam could feel her smug look over the phone.

“Which child?” Blue asked.

“Don't know. Maybe both. Wait and see.”

“Okay,” Blue sighed. “Thank you Calla.”

“Yes, thank you Calla,” Gansey spoke in his powerfully polite way. Blue ended the call.

Ronan collapsed in his chair, his forehead in his palm. Adam reached his free hand over to hold Ronan’s other hands. They all sat in silence as the sun set. The crickets began to chirp and the owls hooted. Finally, Ronan spoke:

“He scared them away from the fish pond so they wouldn't fall in.”

“Yeah,” Adam whispered.

“Papa?” Cian sat up and blinked. 

“Yeah baby?”

“Uncle No-No said he was sorry for yelling.”

“Baby, can you tell Uncle No-No that we said thanks for helping?” 

“You can tell him, Papa, he can hear you,” Cian said, his chubby palms on Adam’s cheeks, his gaze soft and steadily locked on Adam’s eyes.

“Oh, Jesus, Noah,” Blue sobbed, searching the air around her. “We miss you so much. We all do.”

“Noah, thank you so much for watching our boys. Are you well? Where you are?” Gansey asked, a tear sliding down his cheek and dropping off his jaw and into his son’s hair. The four adults looked at Cian.

“No-No showed me a picture of a pizza, and a picture of a shoppy cart, and a baby Chainsaw! He says, he is ok, and, um...” Cian paused, cocking his head as though he were listening. “He says he is more now.”

“More what?” Ronan whispered.

“More than when he was alive,” Cian said, his voice more even and mature than his three years. “Papa can I have glitter bubbles in the bathtub?” And just like that his sweet toddler voice returned and the air dulled, and electricity they hadn't noticed surrounding them went suddenly missing.

“Yeah, baby, sure. Lets go get you and Noah in the tub.” Adam said, slowly rising from his patio chair and shuffling toward the back door. The others stood slowly, wiping their eyes, and silently walked into the kitchen. The Gansey foursome huddled and held each other, Adam saw Blue smiling even as she sniffled back tears, Gansey lovingly stroking her hair.

Ronan approached Adam from behind and wrapped his arms around his man and his son and held them tight to his chest, nose buried in Adam’s hair. Opal silently strode in and put the tea kettle on. Once the children were in bed, there was going to be a long night ahead of them.


End file.
